Writing Tips and Tools Archives

Identity: Playing to Your Writing Strengths

March 10, 2016
Daniel Schwabauer
Daniel's Writing Log, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
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By Daniel Schwabauer Learning to write well means, in part, discovering where your talents really lie. It means uncovering your writing identity. What forgeable skills do you possess? Can you tell the difference between hardwood and iron ore?

7 Ways Starting a Blog Will Up Your Writing Game

February 17, 2016
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Industry, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
4 Comments

Emily Tjaden, Guest Contributor I know what you might be thinking: “But I’m a novelist. I don’t blog.” Fair enough. For a long time, I felt the same way. Blogging was for people who didn’t—or couldn’t—write fiction; why should I bother with it? Well, the truth is, there are a lot of reasons you should bother.

When to Listen to Your Internal Editor

January 20, 2016
Staff Writer
Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tools
2 Comments

By Gabrielle Schwabauer, Staff Writer: Do you get burnt out partway through a rough draft because of the numerous story problems you encounter? Whether you set out with a careful outline or write by the seat of your pants, it may help to tune your ear to your own internal voice.

Writing Characters When You Don’t Hear Voices in Your Head

December 16, 2015
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Help with Characters, Writing Tips and Tools
2 Comments

Miguel Flores, Guest Contributor People have told me their characters “talk” to them. These fictional characters use our brains as home base but are otherwise free to explore both their world and ours. When these vagabond ghost squatters re-enter our brains, they kick up their feet, scatter our neatly organized plot bunnies, and babble about their lives or rudely commentate on ours.

You Weren’t Born in a Vacuum! – Real Characters from Real Worlds

December 9, 2015
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Help with Characters, Push Your Imagination, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
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Janae Leeke, Guest Contributor: World building is just backwards sociology, piecing together a culture instead of picking it apart. It asks the same questions. What is important to your people? What do they treasure? What do they believe is right and wrong?